A rogue Qowat Milat nun is attacking Starfleet vessels for dilithium, so Burnham joins her mother in apprehending her. Meanwhile, Stamets and Book continue their investigation of the anomaly while the procedure to resurrect Gray commences.
Tropes:
- All for Nothing: Stamets's latest theory about the anomaly being a primordial wormhole doesn't pan out, as it lacks the tachyon emissions that would be required to fit the model. However, the investigation at least helped Book gain a measure of peace about his loss.
- Apologetic Attacker: J'Vini apologizes to Commander Fickett of the Credence after killing him.
- The Bait: After Tilly sabotages the engines, Burnham tells her that she needs to stay exposed to draw out J'Vini. Tilly is less than amused.
- Bizarre Alien Biology: The Abronians somehow naturally produce latinum in their bodies, making them almost literal walking piles of futuristic money. This is why J'Vini feels the need to protect them, because they are uniquely endangered by graverobbers.
- Brain Uploading: Gray is successfully transferred into a synthetic body thanks to a combination of Starfleet technology and Trill symbiote mysticism.
- Converse with the Unconscious: Adira talks to Gray's new body before he awakens.Adira: It's weird not feeling you, not even knowing where you are. I keep thinking you're just... all alone. Lost, maybe. Um... Dr. Culber said this thing about... connecting with people, uh, being like a light in the dark. So... I figured maybe if you can't find your way, that... I could be the one to guide you. So I'm here, reaching, and... I'll be here until you come back. So... so please come back.
- "Could Have Avoided This!" Plot: While treated sympathetically, it's noted that J'Vini could have legally obtained the dilithium required if she'd simply been willing to ask the Federation for help. She didn't because she wasn't willing to disclose the location of the Abronian moon for fear of them being targeted. She even notes that she did try asking for the dilithium, but the Federation rejected her for the entirely logical reason that she wouldn't say whom it was for, and the Federation doesn't hand it out on an individual basis.
- Does Not Like Spam: Tilly tries macaroni and cheese and finds it "disturbingly not delicious". Saru muses that not liking cheese is rare among humans.
- Homeworld Evacuation: The Abronians turned their moon into a Sleeper Starship to survive the destruction of their homeworld by a supernova.
- Hostage Situation: J'Vini holds Gabrielle hostage to force Tilly and Burnham to comply with her demands.
- I Can't Sense Their Presence: Adira briefly freaks out over not being able to sense Gray after he's transferred into the synth body.
- I Owe You My Life: J'Vini was responsible for nursing Gabrielle back to health after she arrived in the future, so Gabrielle is convinced that she owes J'Vini the chance to explain herself.
- In-Series Nickname: Stamets has dubbed the anomaly the "DMA", short for "dark matter anomaly", because of the massive amount of accreted dark matter present inside it. This is in the absence of his ability to properly identify it, since it continues to defy analysis.
- Karma Houdini: J'Vini is ultimately extradited to Ni'var rather than facing justice at the hands of the Federation for attacking their ships, as the president is trying to smooth relations for Ni'var rejoining the Federation. Both Burnham and Vance are annoyed, but Vance treats it as a Necessary Evil of realpolitik. That said, with Ni'var looking to rejoin the Federation (as well as the influence of Romulan society in Ni’vari culture), it's safe to assume that J’Vini will suffer some form of punishment for her actions to avoid upsetting the Federation, even if it's lighter than what the Federation would have imposed.
- Morality Chain: Gabrielle admits that she agreed to the joint mission with Starfleet because she knew that if she found J'Vini alone, she would let her go, but Michael's presence would make sure that she didn't.
- Planet Spaceship: J'Vini's hideout appears to be on a lifeless moon, but it's actually a moon repurposed into a Sleeper Starship.
- Rousseau Was Right: In grand Star Trek tradition, J'Vini is an Anti-Villain, doing bad things (theft and murder) for good reasons (single-handedly saving an entire species). And, in grand Star Trek tradition, she agrees to be brought to justice for her crimes once the situation is resolved.
- Sheathe Your Sword: Had Commander Fickett simply stopped fighting and let J'Vini take the dilithium, he would have stayed alive. It was only because he wouldn't stay down that she decides to kill him. That she could have incapacitated him instead is one of the reasons she is so harshly judged by the Federation.
- Shout-Out: Stamets' choice to name the anomaly "DMA" sounds a lot like the use of "TMA" to describe the Monoliths of The Space Odyssey Series.
- Sleeper Starship: The moon contains an entire species in stasis.
- Sympathetic Murderer: While J'Vini and her mooks can't be forgiven for killing a Starfleet officer, Burnham begins to sympathize with her for acting on behalf of a defenseless species, even asking for that to be taken into account regarding her punishment.
- Take a Third Option: J'Vini is trying to protect the Abronians, and needs to be able to move their ship in case the anomaly comes. Burnham instead offers to repair the cryopod reactivation sequence so the Abronians can move it themselves, freeing her of her obligation to them.
- Tears of Joy: Gray cries with happiness and gratitude after waking up in his new body.
- That's No Moon: The moon that J'Vini is tracked to isn't just a moon. It's been hollowed-out and retrofitted into a Sleeper Starship.
- Title Drop: Given that the episode focuses on the Qowat Milat and that their catchphrase is the title, it's no surprise that it's spoken several times. Gabrielle goes into detail about its meaning at the end to Tilly.Gabrielle: Paths end and change throughout everyone's life. When we say, "Choose to live," it's an abbreviated form of a longer saying: "The path you are on has come to an end. Choose to live." If you find yourself on the wrong end of a Qowat Milat sword, it's pretty easy to see that particular path is over for you. You either move on to a new path and live... or you stay and die.
- Tracking Device: Starfleet put a tracker on the dilithium that J'Vini stole. It allows our heroes to track her to the moon/ship.
- You Do Not Want To Know: Saru tells Tilly that it's better she not know what would happen if she were to touch the swamp kelp while it's in bloom.
